Above all, we have been cheerleaders for WA wine since we moved here in 1999. Therefore, we celebrate WA wine every month, but even more so in August, which is Washington Wine Month, aka WAugust! With eight wine-touring regions, 19 AVAs, 1,000+ wineries, and 400+ vineyards, there is something for everyone here. To kick off the month-long festivities, Washington Wine held a Grand Tasting of 116 wineries at the picturesque Chateau Ste. Michelle. Read on for our notes about the wines we tasted and the people we talked to at this great media and trade event. In addition, find out about special wine discounts and promotions throughout WAugust.
Category Archives: Red Mountain
John Bigelow
If you’ve never been to JM Cellars in Woodinville or Maltby, you are missing out on many wonderful Washington wines crafted by talented winemaker John Bigelow. John is the epitome of a winemaker who is both an artist and a scientist. We’ve been drinking his impressive wines since we moved to Seattle in 1999, one year after JM Cellars opened its doors at the picturesque Bramble Bump hill in Woodinville. We caught up with John a few times this spring and summer. In March, we chatted with him at Taste Red Mountain Woodinville. In April, we visited his Maltby location. And subsequently, we talked to him at Celebrate Washington Wine this month (pictured here with his son and Cellar Master, Tommy). We really enjoy listening to John Bigelow’s passionate stories and tasting his wines. Read on for more details.
Summer Reds
Fire up the barbecue – it’s grilling season and time for some summer reds. So bring out the glasses and pour your favorite red wine to complement tangy ribs, juicy hamburgers and succulent steak. Likewise, find some cedar planks to barbecue salmon, halibut or swordfish that pair well with Pinot Noir. Above all, here are 40 summer reds that we tasted from Washington, Oregon, California, British Columbia, South Africa, Italy, Armenia, France and Chile.
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Canvasback
We became re-acquainted with Canvasback last month, when we tasted two of their beautiful Cabernet Sauvignons at Taste Red Mountain Woodinville. Consequently, we also met Brian Rudin, their very talented winemaker who is known for making terroir-driven, structured wines with an unmistakable sense of place. As a result of this meeting, Brian kindly shared two of the winery’s outstanding Syrahs. Their fruit is sourced from our two favorite regions, the Rocks District and Red Mountain. Read on for details about Canvasback and our Syrah tasting.